Chapter 21: Two Women Vie for Favor, the Prince Consort Aids the Princess
With Mo Kui’s arrival, many eyes in the room shifted to Mo Shuihan. The scandalous rumors involving the Ninth Prince Consort, the princess, and the top courtesan of the Spring River Pavilion were common knowledge, and everyone was curious to see how Mo Shuihan would handle the situation.
Princess Jiu and Mo Kui, however, paid no attention to the onlookers. They were locked in a staring contest, the tension between them so thick you could feel the sparks fly. Mo Shuihan cleared his throat and shot Mo Kui a look, silently telling her to back down. A flicker of hurt crossed Mo Kui’s face, but she managed a defiant glance at the princess before following Chu Zhou to greet the other guests.
Furious, Princess Jiu pushed Mo Shuihan away and stormed off. It was only then that Mo Shuihan turned to glare at Yu Guan. Yu Guan lowered his head, but couldn’t stop himself from muttering, “Sir, Mo Kui is still injured.”
“You don’t have to tell me that,” Mo Shuihan snapped. “If you ruin my plans today, you can forget about ever following me again!”
The banquet had already begun when Jin Zeshan finally hurried in. By then, a poetry competition was underway, and Mo Shuihan, unable to leave his seat, could only wait.
The Da Jing Dynasty was a remarkably open and competitive society. Men and women alike delighted in showcasing their talents in public, a practice that in other dynasties would have been met with ridicule. Here, anyone confident in their abilities could challenge another, regardless of their social standing.
Mo Kui had been sitting for some time, watching as Mo Shuihan, with a focused expression, peeled a shrimp for Princess Jiu. Not once had he come to ask about her injuries. A bitter thought crossed her mind: Do our years of friendship mean less than their two months of marriage?
The poetry competition ended, and other talented guests, both male and female, took to the stage to perform or challenge others to friendly contests. This was a popular form of entertainment at banquets in the Da Jing Dynasty, and many a reputation had been made at such gatherings.
Mo Kui’s gaze was still fixed on Mo Shuihan as he carefully peeled a shrimp. She didn’t snap out of her reverie until she heard her name called. The son of the Minister of Revenue, noticing her distraction, repeated his earlier words with a smile. “Miss Mo Kui, you are a master of the four arts—music, chess, calligraphy, and painting—especially the qin. It is said that even the great masters cannot compare to you. It would be a great shame if you did not grace us with a performance today!”
Mo Kui rose and smiled. “You flatter me, Young Master Wang. It would be impolite of me to refuse.”
Her eyes drifted back to Mo Shuihan, just in time to see him place the peeled shrimp on Princess Jiu’s plate. A pang of jealousy shot through her, and she said, “It would be lonely to play by myself. I wonder if the Ninth Princess would do me the honor of playing a duet with me?”
The eyes of every guest in the room lit up. This is it… the wife and the mistress are finally going head-to-head. This is going to be good!
Mo Shuihan’s gaze turned cold as he looked at Mo Kui, but she met his stare with a look of wounded defiance. Before he could refuse on her behalf, Princess Jiu stood up. “Very well. I, too, would like to witness Miss Mo Kui’s renowned musical talents.”
Mo Shuihan grabbed her arm and hissed, “Are you insane? You can’t play a single note in tune. Competing against her is just asking for trouble.”
But Princess Jiu, thinking Mo Shuihan was looking down on her, angrily shoved his hand away. “In your eyes, she’s perfect at everything, and I’m good for nothing!”
Mo Shuihan frowned as she actually went to accept the challenge, rubbing his forehead in frustration. He could already imagine the humiliation she was about to face.
The moment the music began, it was clear to everyone that Mo Kui intended to put Princess Jiu in her place. She had chosen “Phoenix Seeking His Mate”!
As expected, Princess Jiu’s rhythm was a mess from the very start, and ripples of stifled laughter spread through the crowd. No matter how bold she was, the princess couldn’t help but feel nervous, and the notes from her qin became even more chaotic as she sent a desperate, pleading look toward Mo Shuihan.
Mo Shuihan sighed, rose from his seat, and stepped behind her. He enveloped her from behind, his hands covering hers on the strings of the qin. While correcting the disastrous melody, he whispered in her ear, “Focus.”
The onlookers exchanged knowing glances: So, he chooses his wife. They turned to look at Mo Kui and, as expected, her face had darkened.
A masterful melody flowed from Mo Shuihan’s fingers. Mo Kui glared at him, and her music took on a challenging, aggressive tone, as if depicting a fierce battle. She even switched melodies mid-performance, the music clashing like two armies, neither willing to yield. Mo Shuihan followed her every shift, yet his playing held no trace of confrontation. Instead, it carried a grand, majestic air.
Mo Kui’s gaze fell on Mo Shuihan’s hands covering Princess Jiu’s, and with a sharp pluck, a string snapped. She stood without a word, gave Mo Shuihan one last look with tear-filled eyes, and ran from the room.
“Mo Kui!” Mo Shuihan quickly stood up to follow, but Princess Jiu darted forward, pretending to trip over a chair. “Prince Consort.”
Mo Shuihan had no choice but to turn back to her, signaling to Yu Guan, “Follow her, make sure nothing happens to her!”
The rest of the guests had thoroughly enjoyed the drama. Only Chu Zhou and Young Master Wang, who had suggested the performance, looked regretful and worried. Fearing for Mo Kui, they chased after her.
The fiasco left Mo Shuihan with a headache, but at least now that everyone was distracted, he could finally achieve his goal. He gave Jin Zeshan a subtle look and whispered a few words to Princess Jiu. The princess, fearing he would go after Mo Kui, tried to stop him, but after a bit of explaining, Mo Shuihan finally managed to slip away.
The moment Jin Zeshan saw Mo Shuihan, he broke into a grin. Mo Shuihan shot him an annoyed look. “Alright, stop enjoying the show. I have serious business to discuss with you.”
Jin Zeshan immediately straightened his expression. Mo Shuihan relayed Mo Kui’s message and his own suspicions. Jin Zeshan’s face paled. “So, you’re saying he’s preparing to rebel?”
Mo Shuihan shook his head. “It’s not time yet, but it won’t be long. He needs a legitimate reason, otherwise, he’ll be branded a traitor, and the entire world will have the right to execute him.”
“What is your plan, Young Master?” Jin Zeshan asked.
Mo Shuihan took a few sheets of paper from his robes. “This is the background I’ve gathered on Lord Zhao, the Vice Minister of Personnel. If the Minister of Personnel falls, he and the other vice minister are the most likely to be promoted. Although they are both the Left Minister’s men, this Lord Zhao is a rare, upright man. The only reason he follows the Left Minister is because the minister once helped him when his family was in trouble and brought the culprits to justice. He feels he owes him a debt of gratitude.”
Jin Zeshan nodded. “But Lord Zhao is a very stubborn man. It won’t be easy to make him betray the Left Minister.”
“What if he finds out that the massacre of his family was orchestrated by the Left Minister himself, all to seize his family’s fortune?”
Jin Zeshan gasped. “Is this true?”
Mo Shuihan pointed to the papers in his hand. “The irrefutable evidence is right here. I have no power at court, but I will use the Fifth Princess to make the Emperor abandon his protection of the Minister of Personnel. After that, the Left and Right Ministers will surely fight over the vacant position. As long as we can win over Lord Zhao, you find an opportunity to recommend him to His Majesty.”
Jin Zeshan carefully folded the papers and placed them in his robes. “Rest assured, Young Master. Leave the rest to me.”
After settling the important matter, Mo Shuihan and Jin Zeshan parted ways. As he reached the entrance of the main hall, Fu Yi, who had been looking for him for a long time, blocked his path. “Ninth Prince Consort, I have a gift I’d like to show you. Will you do me the honor?”
Mo Shuihan’s face was impassive. “Marquis Fu, the Princess is still waiting for me inside. As for the gift, perhaps you can find someone else to appreciate it.”
Fu Yi’s lips curved into a smile. “I’m afraid that’s not up to you!”
With a wave of his hand, Mo Shuihan’s eyes turned cold. “Is the Marquis trying to force me?”
Fu Yi laughed. “I know you’re skilled in martial arts, Prince Consort, but are you sure you want to fight me here?”
He strolled over to Mo Shuihan and leaned in to whisper in his ear, “It’s just a look. Why is the Prince Consort acting like he’s facing a great enemy? Are you afraid I’ll harm you, or is it a guilty conscience?”
Mo Shuihan took a step back, putting distance between them. He assessed the situation and finally said, “Marquis, please lead the way.”
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